


Antipathy

by Museical



Series: 31 Ways [3]
Category: Tortall - Tamora Pierce
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-02-22
Updated: 2013-02-22
Packaged: 2017-12-03 05:12:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 521
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/694542
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Museical/pseuds/Museical
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Neal has a convoluted reason for his dislike of vegetables.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Antipathy

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: Over Tasteless Vegetables, from an old list: 31 Ways to Leave Your Lover.

Evenings at home with Graeme are incredibly fun, in Neal’s opinion. His much older brother had enough laughter to fill the room; there was nothing he couldn’t do.

Dinner, on the other hand, wasn’t always as fun.

Stewed squash has the texture of something akin to slime-- Neal is sure that this is what melted spidren web would look like, and possibly taste like. Why anyone would choose to put such a substance in their mouths voluntarily is beyond him.

Graeme laughs again and catches Neal’s attention. Jessa is making a face, and for a moment it’s easy to forget that their older brother is now a knight of the realm; he pulls a face right back, prompting their father’s sigh and their mother’s admonishment. 

“Neal--” Jessa wheedles, and he shrugs, then wrinkles his nose and squints his eyes when Mother isn’t watching. Jessa sticks out her tongue in reply--he has better faces than that--and innocently Neal mimes flicking a spoonful of the dread stewed squash across the table in her direction.

Her surprised squeal earns Neal a Look from his father and Neal almost misses the knocking at the door that brings in a messenger with a note.

Though he bows to Duke Baird and Duchess Wilima, the messenger offers the note to Graeme, who eagerly pushes his plate back to receive it.

“It’s from Eiralys,” Graeme explains to the room. Neal rolls his eyes; Their mother in particular seems to find the pink stationary intriguing, but its only some letter from some girl and Neal pushes stewed squash around his plate.

Jessa tries to read the writing over Graeme’s shoulder. He jerks away, suddenly stiff. The note crumples under his fisted fingers.

“Graeme?” Mother’s voice is soft.

He tosses the paper to the table, slamming back from the table to leave. Neal forgets that his fork is halfway to his mouth as Jessa smoothes the paper. From here Neal can see that it is an engagement announcement in the Cavall colors. At the bottom, there are a few handwritten sentences. “Missing that spark...more than a green knight...I’m sorry.” The other words have been lost to Graeme’s anger. 

The rose scented parchment he left on the table clashes horribly with the smell of vegetables that Neal never had the intention of eating anyway. 

The squash is soggy, anyway. 

So were Graeme’s eyes.

 

Graeme’s armor is mirror bright when he rides out from Queenscove. Neal can see his own reflection on the surface, but he can’t help but think that his brother is disappearing as Graeme lowers the helm. 

When Eiralys appears at midsummer on the arm of her fiancee, Graeme leaves the ball with no backward glance. The next day he is gone, away towards the battle fields where unnameable, once-forgotten creatures advance.

At Graeme’s funeral, Neal watches icily as tears roll down Eiralys’ cheeks.

Even after, he hates vegetables.

 

“C’mon, Neal.” Kel rolls her eyes. “The Stump doesn’t need an excuse to give you extra chores. Besides, vegetables are good for you.”

Neal fakes a smile for her. The vegetables end up in the trash.


End file.
